


Flying

by TuppingLiberty



Series: Tlib FFC 2020 - original works [7]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Dragons, February Ficlet Challenge, February Ficlet Challenge 2020, Magical Realism, Other, mind sharing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:01:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22638877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TuppingLiberty/pseuds/TuppingLiberty
Summary: Leo is a dragon, August is a human. Through a spell they're able to share Leo's dragon body.FFC Day 9: Dragons/body swap
Relationships: Leo/August, OMC/ODC, Original Male Character/Original Dragon Character
Series: Tlib FFC 2020 - original works [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1620334
Comments: 5
Kudos: 15
Collections: February Ficlet Challenge 2020





	Flying

“You are unusually quiet this evening, human.” Leo deftly slices the carne asada for their tacos this evening, then glances over at his companion. August has been with him since last spring, when Leo had stumbled across the human bleeding and broken by the outside world, still being attacked. He’d taken swift care of the attackers in his dragon form, and had flown August here, to his home, to heal. 

So far, August has shown no sign that he wishes to return to his world, and his life as an investment banker, but there’s still time. Time is one commodity of which Leo will never be in short supply. 

At the moment, August is sitting at Leo’s simple dining table, a large book from Leo’s hoard spread out in front of him. They share a love of books of all types, so Leo’s not really surprised. The slight discomfort he feels at one of his possessions being separated from his hoard - his library - is a minor whisper over his skin, nothing more. 

“Have you ever wanted to be human, Leo?” the man asks quietly, finally looking up from the book. 

Once again, Leo’s struck by August’s striking good looks, his heart speeding in his chest. 

“I suppose I haven’t given it much thought.” Leo prepares their plates and brings them to the table. 

“You stay in your human form more often than not, but you’ve never thought about it?” 

_Maybe when you’re gone._ “I still have many things to do and see in the world, and humans create more every day.” He shrugs, as delicately as a dragon can when he’s picking up a soft tortilla and trying to eat tacos gracefully. “What brings this up?” he asks after a bite. 

“This book says that humans can become dragons, but not the other way around. Is it true?” 

“No.” He hates that he put the look of disappointment on August’s face. “What I mean is, neither part is true. Humans can’t become dragons, and dragons can, but very rarely, become human. Once they do, they can never return to their previous state. It’s a very serious decision to make.” 

“But this spell says humans can become dragons,” August insists, pointing at the title. 

_Becoming a Dragon,_ Leo reads, as clear as day. He frowns, pulling the tome over to him. Once he reads, his frown deepens. “This is a text from the before-times. When humans still believed in dragons, and they believed they could become them. It’s not true, though.” 

He leans back, sighing at August’s lovely, curious face. “It is among my powers - among any dragon’s powers - to share their mind with a human. It requires an almost trance-like state for the human, and a deep amount of trust on the part of the dragon, because it’s when we’re at our most vulnerable. Long ago, the humans’ wizards realized that, with this spell, they could chain the dragon sharing their mind and take total control. In essence, they could become the dragon for as long as they wanted, and that’s what this means.” 

“How awful,” August murmurs with a frown. “So you don’t do that anymore?” 

“It is very rare nowadays for a dragon to find a human they trust enough.” Saying it aloud brings surprise to Leo’s heart, for he realizes that he surely _does_ trust August that much. He’s never felt that way in his very long life. “Many of my brothers and sisters had their minds chained, and their bodies used to fight in the terrible wars of humankind.” 

“I’m so sorry.” August looks down at his tacos, dejected. 

Leo can’t help but reach out and tip his chin up. “It was long ago, and we are more cautious now. Would it interest you, my little one?” 

August’s eyes go wide. “I would never ask that of you.” 

“But I would offer.” 

“I’ve just - I’ve been in planes, of course, but I’ve always wondered what it would be like to _fly.”_ August lets out a breath, his eyes far away in fantasy. 

Leo lets some of that wonder into his heart. “It is...amazing,” he settles on.

“Every time? Even now?” 

“Every time, even now.” Leo smiles at August’s dumbfounded expression. “If you wanted to try, we should practice your meditation. You’re far from being able to enter a trance yet.” 

“You’d let me? Really?” 

Leo just lifts a brow. “You have to be ready first.” 

“I’ll start practicing tonight.” August takes an enthusiastic bite of his taco. 

It takes many more months, months in which the dragon can’t help but fall deeply in love with his human, with the one being that has the potential to make him give it all up. He seeps himself in the irony, that August is working to ‘become a dragon’ while at the same time tempting Leo to shed his dragonity. 

“You’re ready,” Leo says one night after dinner. Tacos again, because they seem to center their important discussions around taco nights. 

Instead of asking for Leo’s reassurance, August nods. “I’m ready.” 

“I’ll be on the roof, waiting for you. Come find me.” Leo walks to the open window and jumps out, transforming in enough time for his wings to save him from a nasty fall. 

_This is_ _amazing._

Even inside his brain, August sounds like himself, all giddy and enthusiastic as Leo soars them through the night sky. He flies them to the cliff, to let August feel his body there, right there, at the edge, where he knows he can save himself. He’s a little tired, but only because he’s been having too much fun giving August the ride of his life. At every swoop and turn, August’s obvious excitement has filled his brain, infecting him, too. 

Transference of emotions is one of the side-effects of the spell, but Leo doesn’t mind, not when August feels so happy, and he feels such pride in making August so. 

It’s not until after they watch the sunrise together from the cliff and are headed home that Leo realizes the consequences of that transference. Because when they head toward his roof, preparing to land next to August’s meditating body, Leo can’t help but feel all of the love he has for August. 

_What…?_ August’s reaction is only wonder, and Leo lands quickly and severs their mind connection before he can reveal any more. 

He changes back to his human shape, the wind on the roof not bothering him despite the cold and his nakedness. “I’ll be inside,” he says swiftly, moving past August’s body. 

“Wait!” He’s surprised as August reaches out and touches his ankle as he passes by. 

Leo complies, feeling uncomfortable, as August pushes himself to his feet. 

“You love me.” It’s not a question. August says it with the same amount of wonder he’d shown when Leo took him flying. As if Leo’s love might compare to that transcendent experience. 

“I do.” There’s no use lying now. 

“Leo.” August holds his hand out, and Leo takes it, feeling vulnerable for the first time in a very, very long time. “I don’t ever want to go back,” he confesses. “I want to stay here and help you collect all the books in the world and read them all and maybe fly with you if you’ll let me again. I want- I want- I love _you,_ Leo. I do.” 

There are a million problems to think about, starting this relationship with the human - _his_ human - but Leo can’t spare a moment for a single one, not when he’s pulling August toward him and into a kiss. 

They can think through their problems later. Time, after all, is something Leo has an infinite amount of.

**Author's Note:**

> I really really really want to do a longer version of this one and take more time with it! 
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated!


End file.
